The present invention relates to the electronic, anatomical examination arts. More particularly, it relates to the gating and control patient imaging in conjunction with body motion of the patient. Particular application is found in conjunction with cardiac and respiratory gating of magnetic resonance imaging and the invention will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention may have other application in other electronic imaging fields and in conjunction with monitoring other anatomical motion.
Heretofor, magnetic resonance images have commonly been constructed from about 256 views, each view requiring about 200-1000 milliseconds to acquire. When imaging through the patient's chest or abdomen, the images tend to become blurred or degraded by cardiac and respiratory motion.
Various cardiac and respiratory monitors have been utilized in computerized tomography and other imaging systems. For sensing cardiac function, conductive wires or leads commonly carried cardiac signals from the patient area adjacent the imaging zone to a remotely located signal processing circuit. In magnetic resonance imaging, conducting leads extending into the imaging zone cause significant degradation of the acquired image. The degradation is a result of penetration of the RF barrier by conducting wire which conveys RF noise present in the atmosphere into the imaging area. In all patient monitoring devices, high current and voltage isolation devices are necessary to protect the patients from hazardous shocks. Fiber optic conductors, for example, convey sensed cardiac monitor signals without the risk of patient shock and maintain the RF integrity of the imaging system.
In magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, relatively strong gradient magnetic fields are applied during acquisition of each view. These changing magnetic fields induce stray currents in electronic circuitry associated with cardiac monitoring adjacent the imaging zone. These induced currents tend to interfere with the cardiac monitoring function and signals indicative thereof. In particular, the changing gradient fields tend to generate signals which are similar in appearance to the signals which represent a cardiac R-wave in the cardiac electrocardiogram (ECG) cycle. Because many cardiac monitors key on the R-wave portion, these gradient magnetic field changes tend to produce false cardiac signals.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved anatomical gating system which overcomes the above referenced problems and others.